Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2022

● Global beer consumption exceeded 2019, showing a return to scale to pre-COVIDlevels despite unstable global conditions.
● China was the largest overall consumer for the 20th straight year, with Asia the leading region.
● The Czech Republic remained the top per-capita consumer for the 30th consecutive year.

TOKYO, Friday December 22, 2023 - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) published the Global Beer Consumption Report for 2022 which summarizes the details of global beer consumption in 170 major countries and regions. The report is based on findings obtained from questionnaires sent by Kirin Holdings to various brewers’ associations around the world, as well as the latest industry statistics available overseas. The data for global beer consumption has been tracked by Kirin Holdings since 1975.

Main Topics

■ Global beer consumption stood at approximately 192.1 million kiloliters (up 2.9% from the previous year) in 2022, a 1.0% increase compared to 2019, showing a recovery trend from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is equivalent of filling up the Tokyo Dome about 155 times. ■ China remained the largest beer-consuming country in the world for the 20th consecutive year, and consumption increased in 2021 by 1.0% year-on-year. Japan (up 2.5% from the previous year) increased slightly but dropped in ranking for the second consecutive year in a row to 10th place. Ukraine (down 25.7% from the previous year), dropped significantly from 18th in 2021 to 27th in 2022. ■ Among the top 10 countries, negative growth was seen in the United States, Germany, U.K., and Japan compared to 2019 (pre-COVID-19). ■ By region, Asia consumption was up 4.9% year-on-year and holds a 33.9% share of the global beer market, remaining the world’s largest beer-consuming region for the 15th consecutive year.

Total global beer consumption in 2022 increased by approximately 5.4 million kl (equivalent to approximately 8.5 billion 633ml bottles) from the previous year due to the easing of the impact of the spread of COVID-19, to approximately 192.1 million kl (up 2.9% from the previous year, or approximately 303.5 billion 633ml bottles equivalent). This would be equivalent to about 155 Tokyo Domes (Tokyo Dome=about 1.24 million kl).

1. Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2022 (Table 1)

・ China remained the largest beer-consuming country in the world for the 20th consecutive year since 2003, an increase of 1.0% compared to 2020.
・ Japan was ranked 7th for 14 years until 2020 but dropped to 8th in 2021 and then to 10th in 2022 (increase of 2.5% from the previous year).
・ Ukraine, which had been among the top 25 countries (down 25.7% from the previous year), dropped significantly from 18th in 2021 to 27th in 2022.

2. Global Beer Consumption by Region in 2022 (Table 2)

・ Asia remained the world’s largest beer-consuming region for the 15th consecutive year, consuming 4.9% more beer compared to 2021 with Vietnam and India leading the way, with increases of 27.0% and 21.6% respectively, over 2021.

3. Per-capita Beer Consumption by Country in 2022 (Table 3)

・ The Czech Republic consumed 188.5 liters of beer per capita, remaining the world’s top in per-capita beer consumption for the 30th consecutive year since 1993.
・ Among the top 35 countries, eight countries saw a decrease in per-capita consumption from 2021 to 2022.
・ Japan consumed 34.2 liters of beer—the equivalent of about 54.0 633ml bottles—on a per-capita basis in 2021, up the equivalent of 1.5 633ml bottles year-on-year.

Sources: Questionnaires sent by Kirin to the brewers’ associations in major countries.
BarthHaas-Report-2022-2023 (BARTH−HAAS GROUP)
Beer Market Data Extract 2023 (GlobalData Plc)
*Survey period: January-December 2022
*Figures may not match those in past reports due to a change in the survey data company after FY2013.
The Jozo Sangyo Shimbunsha estimates consumption in Japan.
*Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, happo-shu (malt liquor), and new genre (non-malt beer).

Note: Due to rounding, the figures may not necessarily add up.
Among the countries whose figures for the previous year were revised for this year’s report, the revised figures are used to calculate year-on-year changes.
*The volume of global consumption for the previous year has been updated (revised from 185.60 million kiloliters to 186.70 million kiloliters).

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.

Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.

Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV* creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.

*: Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large

(Table 1) Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2022

Comments
・ Global beer consumption stood at approximately 192.1 million kiloliters. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 spread and other factors on some countries, a recovery continued in 2021, with a 2.9% increase over the previous year.
・ China ranked first for the 20th consecutive year with a 1.0% increase over the previous year, but looking at other major countries, United States, Russia and U.K. showed a downtrend with decreases of 4.2%, 4.9%, and 0.4%, respectively, year-on-year.
・ Ukraine, which had been among the top 25 countries since 2000 (down 25.7% from the previous year), dropped significantly from 18th in 2021 to 27th in 2022.
・ Among the top 10 countries, negative growth was seen in the United States, Germany, U.K. and Japan compared to 2019 (pre-COVID-19, total consumption for 2019: approx. 190.20 million kl), showing decreases of 14.4%, 4.1%, 2.7% and 11.8%, respectively.

(Table 2) Global Beer Consumption by Region in 2022

Note: Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, happo-shu (malt liquor), and new genre (non-malt beer).

Comments
・ Annual beer consumption in Asia was the highest in the world for the 15th consecutive year, with an increase of 4.9% from the previous year with a global market share of 33.9%.
・ First-place Asia’s overall 4.9% increase over the previous year was mainly due to increases of 27.0% and 21.6% in Vietnam and India respectively.
・ Second-place Europe recorded an increase of 0.8% from the previous year due to increases in consumption in Germany and Spain of 3.2% and 7.5% respectively, although consumption decreased in Russia and Ukraine by 4.9% and 25.7%.
・ Third-place Central and South America saw a 6.2% increase over the previous year as consumption in Brazil and Mexico rose 3.6% and 14.5%, respectively. Fourth-place North America, ranking fourth, decreased 4.0% from the previous year, with a 4.2% decrease in the United States, despite a 2.0% decrease in Canada.

(Table 3) Per-capita Beer Consumption by Country in 2022

Comments
・ The Czech Republic led all other nations in per-capita beer consumption for the 30th consecutive year.
・ Among the top 35 countries ranked by per-capita beer consumption, eight decreased consumption levels from 2020 to 2021.
・ Ireland is growing rapidly, ranking 15th in 2021, and 4th in 2022.